


Mazinger Z The Crimson War

by kenchang



Category: Mazinger Z
Genre: Gen, Mecha, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 18:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14774801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenchang/pseuds/kenchang
Summary: Ten years after saving the human race from Mechanical Beasts, Koji Kabuto and his Mazinger Z are forced to come out of retirement. This time, they have to save mankind from itself.





	Mazinger Z The Crimson War

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mazinger Z or its characters, and I make no money from this fan fiction.
> 
> This story is non-canonical, (obviously) so don't expect characters to behave accurately. If you want accuracy, I suggest you read the original manga.

Shiro Kabuto knows that he is about to die. As a mech pilot in the Japanese military, he is required to always be prepared for death whenever his team goes on a sortie. But being prepared for death and actually knowing that it is inescapable are two different things. Particularly, the latter is accompanied by an incredible amount of fear. Shiro is no coward. Quite the opposite, actually. Any man with a good life fears death.

His helmet is cracked. His visor is shattered. A streak of blood is running down the side of his face, soiling his flight suit.

"That filthy uniform is an embarrassment!", he can almost hear his old drillmaster say.

Then he hears another voice.

"Shiro!", the voice frantically calls. It's a woman's voice, familiar to him. "Shiro, help me!"

Still dazed, Shiro shakes his aching head, and blinks several times, forcing himself to focus. The voice is coming from his onboard communications radio.

"Jill," he croaks, remembering the name of his comrade.

His vision clears, and through the window of his cockpit, he sees her. Rather, he sees Hera-9, the Demi-Mazin military mech that she pilots. Their enemy, a hulking, red painted, gorilla-like, metal monster is mercilessly dangling Jill's robot by the throat with one powerful hand. Instead of another hand, the monster has a giant gatling gun arm, which it now aims at Hera-1's abdomen.

"NOOOOOO!" Shiro screams.

He wildly pulls at the lever to his left with all his remaining strength, in an attempt to raise the arm of his own badly damaged robot, Zeus-5, also a Demi-Mazin military mech, similar in design to Jill's Hera-9, but with a masculine appearance. Zeus-5 is on its back, an automatic photon rifle still in hand. If Shiro can only raise it, by even just a little, just high enough to shoot the big, red ape monster, he might still be able to save Jill. It wont kill the beast. Its hide is too tough. But at least he'll be able to veer its attention towards himself, perhaps giving his comrade the opportunity to escape.

Shiro strains against the lever. The gears in Zeus-5's metal arm groan and screech, but the limb does not move.

"Move, you son of a bitch!", he cusses at Zeus-5, painfully aware that his robot, like all other Demi-Mazins, is nothing more than a poor copy of his grandfather's greatest work, a failed attempt by an arrogant military to replicate his famous brother's Mazinger Z.

The metal ape's gatling gun arm makes a whirring sound. And the next sound Shiro hears is Jill's scream, as her Hera-9 is torn in half by automatic gunfire.

Shiro dejectedly releases the lever. Tears roll down his cheeks, some of it mixing with the blood on the side of his face. The ape monster callously discards his victim's remaining upper half, then it turns its head towards the fallen Zeus-5. Shiro gasps as the gorilla slowly lumbers towards him.

Then from out of nowhere, he hears an even more familiar voice than Jill's shout words he had heard many times before as a child.

"ROCKET PUNCH!!!"

#

 

Earlier.

Koji Kabuto, a scientist at the Photon Power Labs, walked into the cafeteria for some much needed coffee to shake away the sleepiness. He liked being a scientist enough. He was good at it. He should be. It was in his genes, afterall. His grandfather was a scientist. His father was a scientist. But it just wasn't as exciting as his last job.

Years ago, when he was just a teenager, Koji was tasked by his dying grandfather to pilot the giant super robot, Mazinger Z. And in this robot, he had protected Japan repeatedly from the mechanical beasts of the maniacal mad scientist, Dr. Hell. Any other person, fighting in a dreadful war at such a young age, would have been severely traumatized. But Koji was a natural. Selfless, brave, and very reckless, he embraced the responsibility. Ultimately, he and his Mazinger Z successfully vanquished the evil doctor and his army.

Two of his colleagues, Ippo and Yuki, were sitting together, watching the news on the cafeteria widescreen TV. When they saw him coming, they immediately stood at attention and said, "Sir!"

Koji sighed and then respectfully nodded at them. He didn't outrank them. As a junior scientist, they sort of outranked him. But being the retired pilot of Mazinger Z had made him a celebrity. Saving the entire country tended to do that. After repeatedly reminding everyone that they shouldn't give him any special treatment, he had given up.

"Is it about the Crimson Sun again?", he asked them of the news.

"Related," Ippo replied. "The prime minister is defending his decision to send troops to the Philippines. Personally, I think it's a mistake. I mean, why should our soldiers have to die in a war that has nothing to do with us?"

"I disagree," Yuki countered. "What's the point of being allies if we don't help each other?"

"Well, we could still help financially. Or we could mediate."

Koji winced at the TV screen, as the two continued their debate. Was this what he defeated Dr. Hell for? So that people could wage war among themselves?

"Mr. Kabuto," Rei, another of Koji's coworkers that supposedly outranked him, entered and called. "Your brother is here to see you."

#

"Shiro!", Koji called as he walked into the reception area.

Shiro, in military uniform, stood from the couch and smiled at his big brother. Koji playfully slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Look at you!", Koji remarked with pride. "My brother, the badass."

"Look at you in your lab coat," Shiro replied. "My brother, the genius."

"Your brother, the nerd you mean."

"Far cry from the motorcycle riding rebel you used to be at school, huh?"

Koji laughed, "Come on. Let's get some soda at my office."

"You have an office?"

"Naw, it's just one of the balconies I like to hang out at during my breaks."

At the balcony, Shiro couldn't help but gasp.

"I had almost forgotten how amazing the view of Mt. Fuji is from here!", he exclaimed, leaning over the rail.

"Best seat in the house," Koji agreed, handing his younger brother a cold can of soda.

They raised their cans to each other in a silent toast before taking a sip. Then they talked a little about old times.

"Koji, as much as I'm enjoying this, I'm afraid I didn't just come here for the conversation and the view," Shiro admitted.

"So it's the free soda then?", Koji quipped.

Shiro laughed, "No, that's a perk."

"This has something to do with General Ishinomori's visit the other day, right?"

"Yup. He sent me here. Guess he figures I'll have better luck given my history with this place."

"Then you should be talking to Sayaka. She's the boss, afterall."

"You're not gonna put in a good word for your little brother?"

"Yea, that doesn't work anymore now that you're not so little. Besides, the last person she's going to listen to is the ex," Koji added a little bitterly.

"You two still aren't OK?", Shiro asked. When he was younger, he had always thought that the two would marry. He liked Sayaka for his brother, and was disappointed when they broke up.

"Well, it helps that we're working in a huge company with a large staff. So we rarely have to see each other. But sometimes I wonder if she secretly wants me to screw up so that she can fire me."

"Come on. Sayaka isn't like that."

"Yea, I know. I'm being paranoid. But I still can't talk to her for you. I strongly doubt I would be very convincing."

Shiro's brow furrowed. He asked, "You agree with Sayaka then?"

"Yea, right. When did she and I ever agree on anything," Koji answered. "Honestly, Shiro, I don't know. The Crimson Sun isn't Dr. Hell. They're a rebel group. It's not like they're after world domination like Hell was."

"The Crimson Sun is not a rebel group! They're not motivated by ideals, politics, or religion. They're nothing but a bunch of bandits who profit from pillaging poor towns and kidnapping rich foreigners. You saw the video of the two Japanese tourists they beheaded?!"

"Yea, I saw," he admitted, admiring his younger brother's passion and patriotism. "You know, at your age, all I cared about was getting into trouble and getting laid. You're a much better man than I, Shiro. And with that enthusiasm, you're not even gonna need my help convincing Sayaka."

#

"No," Sayaka answered with finality from behind the desk of her large office.

Shiro was absolutely flabbergasted. "Butâ€¦But why not?", he stammered.

"Like I told General Ishinomori, the Photon Power Labs is a research institute, not a modern armament manufacturer." Then her voice softens. "But Shiro, you and I both know what he really wants, don't we?"

Shiro sighs. "Mazinger Z."

"Exactly. And I won't have your brother fighting in another war. He's sacrificed too much for his country already."

Shiro smiled inwardly, happy to know that Sayaka still worried very much for his brother. "Sayaka, I promise you, Koji will never have to go back to the front line."

"But who's going to pilot Mazinger Z then-?", she began to ask, then stopped herself. Her eyes widened, and she spoke sympathetically. "Oh, Shiro. You can't-"

"Why not?!", shiro interrupted her, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. "I've had formal training as a mech pilot in a military academy! When Koji first piloted Mazinger Z, the only experience he had operating a vehicle was riding his motorcycle!"

"It's not you, Shiro. No one can handle Mazinger Z's power. Your brotherâ€¦ He's a kind of savant."

"You're just saying that 'cause," Shiro muttered, then instantly regretted saying it.

He looked up and saw the pain in her eyes.

"How does this work, Shiro?", she asked, trying to sound angry to hide the ache. "I hurt your feelings, so now you hurt mine?"

The young mech pilot realized that after all this time, Sayaka had still not healed.

"Sayaka, why did you break up with him?", he asked empathically. He never considered it his business. So while he was supportive of both of them during the time, he had never asked either of them before.

The head of the most advanced research facility in the country sighed and looked away.

"We met and became a couple during a time of war," she explained. Then she chuckled bitterly. "I guess our relationship couldn't survive the peace." She looked at Shiro. "Isn't that strange?"

She saw an expression of sadness in his face. But he didn't reply, so she continued, "I saw something in your brother thar refuses to be tamed. An animal that can't be domesticated. There were times when we were together, and yet I felt so alone. Like he wasn't really there with me. Like his soul was someplace else."

"L-Like where?", Shiro asked, a little trepidatiously.

"I don't know. Still at warâ€¦in the hover pilder's cockpit?"

"Come on. That's not true. Koji adjusted to the peace. He became a scientist!"

"Sometimes I wonder if he only forced himself to do that. Maybe he did so for me, butâ€¦it just isn't natural to him."

"Sayaka, if my brother was really like that, then he wouldn't have become a scientist. He would have enlisted, like I did!"

"Oh, please. He doesn't have the discipline. He'd clash with every superior he met!"

Shiro saw an image in his head of Koji arguing with his old drillmaster, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud. And seeing him, Sayaka couldn't stop herself from laughing, too.

Shiro's phone began vibrating. It was General Ishinomori.

"Yes, sir?", he answered.

Sayaka couldn't hear the general's words, but the concern in Shiro's face was evident.

"Yes, sir. I'm on my way," Shiro said before breaking the connection. "Sayaka, I have to go. A giant mech has risen from the sea and is attacking the harbor!"

"What?! How did it get into the country undetected?!"

"I don't know yet!", Shiro yelled, rushing out the door.

"Shiro, be careful!", Sayaka shouted after him.

#

Sayaka walked into the large control room. Her staff was already there, busy behind their respective consoles. Ten years after the death of the infamous Dr. Hell, and the staff of the Photon Power Labs never stopped training, on the off chance that another evil megalomaniac decided to take the mad scientist's place. At the end of the room was a wide screen monitor.

"Where is this feed from?", she asked Ippo.

"From a news chopper at the site, ma'am," he answered.

"Deploy a drone to that location," she commanded. "I want that invader mech scanned."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Other scientists enterred the room, Koji included. On the monitor is an aerial view of a giant red mech, with a gatling gun for an arm, at the edge of the harbor town.

The invading mech pilot addressed the frightened townsfolk through a built-in loudspeaker, "I am Dante Maro, the Red Ape of the Crimson Sun! Blame your government for the lives that will be lost today. And blame your leaders for the many more that will die, if they continue to involve Japan in our war!"

And with that, he fired at the largest building in town, shredding it completely with a hail of bullets. The people still inside could not have possibly survived. Anyone near would have been crushed by the falling debris.

Sayaka turned away from the horrific sight, and her eyes found Koji, tensely staring at the screen. There was rage in his face. Understandably so. But there was something else, something that had always frightened her about him. A hint of excitement.

Koji returned her gaze, and she hesitantly nodded at him. But she knew that he didn't need her permission. The super robot's parts were property of the Photon Power Labs, but Mazinger Z will always belong to Koji Kabuto. Without a word, the young junior scientist turned and rushed out the door.

#

Koji leapt into the cockpit of his Hover Pilder and the glass canopy closed after him as he took his seat. He put on his signature helmet. Then he started the engine. It hummed to life, and Koji was impressed at how the maintenance crew had kept the small aircraft in form after ten years of inactivity. The pilot, too was in top form. He didn't feel rusty at all. It felt as if he had piloted the Hover Pilder yesterday instead of ten years ago.

The rotors on either side of the aircraft whirred, lifting the small vehicle off the ground. And Koji easily maneuvered it out through the large hangar door. He flew the Hover Pilder over the Photon Power Labs' Olympic sized swimming pool.

"MAZIN GO!", Koji yelled.

Reacting to his distinctive voice command, the bottom of the pool opened, draining all the water. And from underneath, the black and white, humanoid super robot rose to the surface.

"Hey, old boy!", Koji called. "I missed you!" Although, he actually often visited Mazinger Z during his retirement and saw to its maintenance.

Koji guided the Hover Pilder over Mazinger Z.

"PILDER ON!", he yelled.

The Hover Pilder took its place atop the super robot's head. The sleeping metal giant's eyes glowed. Then Mazinger Z flexed his arms, and he roared as he woke!

"Launch the Jet Scrander!", Sayaka commanded from inside the control room.

The side of a fake mountain opened, and a long launchpad extended from within. On this launchpad, the Jet Scrander, a yellow device with large, red metal wings, rocketed into the sky! The grounds shook as Mazinger Z raced across it. The super robot leapt to meet the flying machine in midair.

"SCRANDER CROSS!", Koji shouted.

The Jet Scrander docked behind Mazinger Z. Large metal clamps locked around the super robot's waist. Flying machine, super robot, and pilot became one, as they raced headlong into battle.

#

Now.

"ROCKET PUNCH!", Koji shouts.

Mazinger Z's right forearm detaches and launches forward. The flying fist strikes the Red Ape in the midsection! The impact is so powerful, not only does the Rocket Punch knock the invader away from Shiro and his Zeus-5, but it knocks the Red Ape out of the harbor town and back into the water! Thrusters on the fingertips guide the forearm back to Mazinger Z, and it reattaches to his upper arm. The townsfolk can only stare in silent awe at the legendary super robot.

Mazinger Z descends and kneels down on one knee next to his fallen, more inferior imitation. Koji can see Shiro through Zeus-5's glass canopy. His younger brother is injured, and he isn't moving. Koji doesn't know the military's frequency, so he uses a loudspeaker instead.

"Shiro!", he worriedly shouts. "Hey, Shiro! Wake up! Are you OK?!"

Shiro stirs. He turns his head towards the sound of hus brother's voice. His eyes flutter open.

"Whew!", Koji exclaims. "Had me worried for a sec."

Shiro tries to say something but it gets caught in his throat. Then he passes out again.

"Hang on," Koji says to him. "I'm on my way."

He is just about to fly the Hover Pilder to Shiro when Mazinger Z is rocked by a barrage of gunfire! The sound is deafening, but somehow Koji can still hear Dante Maro's cruel laughter amidst it. Koji uses Mazinger Z's back to shield his brother. The Super Alloy-Z, the rare metal that Mazinger Z's exterior is made of, withstands the attack, but Koji feels like his bones are about to be ground inside him any minute now.

"PHOTON BEAM!", he yells.

Mazinger Z turns his head. Streaks of burning energy erupt from its eyes. And like two flaming swords, the beams easily sever the Red Ape's gatling gun arm. Dante could only gasp in shock as his mech's weapon falls and sinks beneath the water's surface. But this time, Koji doesn't allow him to retaliate. Mazinger Z charges and strikes the Red Ape with a left cross to the side of the head! He follows up with a right straight! And then another left!

Right before his death, Koji's grandfather, Juzo, told his grandson that Mazinger Z's power could make its pilot a god or a devil. Koji had often chosen the path of a god, defending those that could not defend themselves. But at this moment, as he attacks the gorilla-like mech mercilessly, he has most certainly become a devil.

Inside the Red Ape's cockpit, monitors and dials on the control panel explode, spraying the hapless pilot with electric sparks and sharp shards of glass! Dante Maro knows that he is about to die. And that leaves him with only one remaining option.

"Koji!", Sayaka's frantic voice is heard through the Hover Pilder's radio.

"Kinda' busy right now, Sayaka!", Koji replies irritably.

"We've finished scanning the Red Ape! The pilot just activated a self-destruct sequence! You have seconds-!"

"Got it!"

Mazinger Z easily lifts his enemy, that's nearly twice his size, and quickly flies upward.

"You may have saved the people of that town," Dante gloats. "But I will claim an even greater victory by taking Japan's legendary protector with me to the afterlife!"

"No big deal," Koji replies casually. "Some things are worth dying for."

The words make Dante suddenly realize the perhaps, atleast in that aspect, they are not that different.

"How can I take the life of such an honorable man, when there are so few left?", the rebel says. "Besides, I think the Red Lion would want to meet you."

With his only arm, the Red Ape shoves Mazinger Z away so that the super robot doesn't get caught in the blast.

"LONG LIVE THE CRIMSON SUN!", Dante cries. The Red Ape explodes in midair, its pilot the only casualty.

Koji Kabuto stares at his trembling hands in horror. Lives have been lost today. His brother has been seriously injured. Japan is once again at war.

And he hasn't felt this exhilarated in years.

TO BE CONTINUED

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
